Bangladesh Election Commission rejects jailed former PM Khaleda Zia’s plea to contest December 30 polls

Dhaka:   In Bangladesh, Election Commission has rejected jailed former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s plea to contest December 30 polls. The poll body spokesperson said yesterday that the commission rejected her petition by 4-1 votes.

The Bangladesh High Court had earlier issued an order disqualifying 73-year-old Zia, now serving a 10-year prison term in two corruption cases, from contesting elections. It said, people jailed for more than two years with their appeals pending in court cannot fight elections.

The opposition BNP leader has been in prison since February when a lower court sentenced her to a five-year term in the first of the two graft cases.